Internal-combustion engine



N. LOII/IBARD.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.22, I9I8.

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2 SHEETSSHEET I.

I CD I [mpemiov N 7. 4 m I 51 N. LOMBARD.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.22,1918.

1 335 5 1 5, Patented! Mar. 3N 119m,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATTZE NATHANIEL LOMBARD, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO LOMBARD CARBUBETER COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

INTERNAL-COIMBUSTEON ENGINE.

nssaaia Application filed March 22,

1 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL LQMBARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of ll lassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in internal combustion engines and in particular to the construction, arrange ment and disposition of the valve devices therefor. The object of the invention is to simplify and cheap'en the construction of engines of this class with respect to the valve mechanism employed for admitting the gases to and exhausting them from the cylinders. At the same time the invention contemplates an engine wherein the power expended in operating the valve mechanism is reduced to a D'lllllHlLlHl, and the total power produced, owing to the novel arrangement of the valve devices, is at a maximum.

The invention is fully set forth and described in the accompanying specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of my improved engine.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through one-of the cylinders thereof, and

F 3 is a detached view of one of the valve devices and its associated parts.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

My invention is embodied, by way of illustration, in an engine of the fourtroke. cycle type, and utilizes, in connection with the valve mechanism, a rotating portedl member operating in timed relation to the shaft of the engine, for controlling the inlet of gases to the cylinders, and, through the medium of suitable cooperating mechanism,- the exhaust of gases from the cylinders. I am aware that it has been proposed frequently heretofore to substitute for the usual reciprocating puppet valves in engines of this class, various types of rotary valve mechanisms for performing the functions of gas inlet and exhaust; in some engines of the rotary valve type these two functions have been taken care of by a single suitable ported rotating member, while in others two Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30 192 0 1913. Serial No. 223,933.

such members, one for inlet and the other for exhaust, have been employed.

All prior constructions, however, have been subject to the vital objection that such rotating valve members, when exposed to the heat of exhaust gases leaving the cylinder would invariably stick and bind in their bearings. It has been impossible heretofore to construct a satisfactory rotary valve engine; the expansion of the valve member or members and the difficulty of lubricating the same has been responsible for the failure of these previous attempts, and all attempts to compensate for this expansion by making the rotating members fit loosely have failed because of undue leakage of gas when the engine is running fairly cool.

Various attempts to improve the efiiciency of engines using the ordinary reciprocating puppet valves have also been made, chief among these being the location of the valves in the head of the cylinder, so as to avoid side pockets or dead spaces in the combustion chamber, such as are found in the ordinary T-head and L-head type of cylinders. The efficiency of the overhead valve type is limited, however, by the consideration that two valves must be provided in the given area; the modern tendency toward cylinders of small diameter precludes the successful use of overhead valves, for the reason that the valve area must be so reduced as to practically defeat the advantages incident to this location.

The present invention is embodied in a combination of certain features from each of the above two systems of valve design, namely the rotating system and the reciprocating puppet valve system, wherein the advantages of each are retained and the disadvantages discarded and. eliminated. The invention contemplates the use of a single reciprocating puppet valve located in the head of the cylinder in the direct line of the exhaust gases, and this being the only valve in the head proper of the cylinder, a suthcient exhaust port area is insured. Tn combination with this reciprocating puppet exhaust valve I provide, adjacent the combustion chamber at one side thereof, a rotating member which serves as an inlet valve, and thus eliminates the formation of a pocket or dead space in said chamber. This rotating valve is relieved of any tendency to overheat or stick because it is never subjected to the passage of hot exhaust gases; moreover it is in position to be thoroughly water cooled, and by a special construction hereinafte descril'ied, it practically is surrounded y a film of lubrication, in which the valve portion proper floats. The physical emhodiment of the ah ve novel combination of valve instrumentalities is illustrated in the aM-onipanying drawings, wherein is shown combustion engine having a plurality of water cooled cylinders 1, 1 of conventional design below the heads thereof, each cylinder having a piston 2 which is connected in the usual manner to the crank shaft of the engine, not shown.

l have shown tne cylinders i, 1 as proprovailing practice, but it will be ohmy invention is equally applic' to engine cylinders having integral li ads. shown hereinafter, the cylinders 1, 1 are cast in pairs, with each head 3 serving for two cylinders, but it will be obvious my invention equally applicable to linders and s cast on N00, singly, or in any other desired manner.

Each head 3, .in the presentinstanee, has an integral extension or enlargement 4i which provines water jacket space 5 in communication with he water jacket of the cylinder, when the head is in place. Interiorly of said water jacket space 5, the extension is bored loi'igitudinally, and from this bore is formed, in the case of each cylinder, a. passage (3 extending inwardly to a con bustion or explosion chamber T, which is formed bv the head immediately above the piston 52. This space 7 is completely water jacketed, except for the port (5 and for an opening for a spark plug 8, by a i al'er space S) which commitinicates with the water jacket of cylinder 1. I

The longitudinal bore of the extension i is adapted to receive at each end a hall bean .ing 10, these ball bearings providing for the free rotation of a. shaft 11 in said bore. T he shaft 11 provides spaced outwardly facing shoulders 12, 12 and against these shoulders from each end bear ported valve sleeves 13, 18, which are spaced apart at their inner opposing open ends. In the vicinity of the space between the open ends of these sleeves the bore of extension 41 opens laterally to a passage 1 1 in tie head casting, which is adapted to be connected to ti o carburetor and throttle of the engine, either by an inlet nianifold, not shown, or by cirectly socuring said carbureter to flange 15. As a result of this construction, the annular spaces 16 formed intoriorly of the sleeves 13 around the shaft 11 become a common intake chamber for the two cylinders with which said sleeves are associated, andadapted, as hereinafter described, to supply the explosive gaseous mixture at proper intero the vals through the passages 6, 6 of said cylinders.

To this end each sleeve '13 has a port 17, corresponding in size and shape to the pas- 6, and adapted to register periodically therewith as the shaft 11 is rotated. A suitable operative connection, such as a gear, or sprocket and chain 18, or the like, between the shaft 11 and the engine shaft secures the rotation of shaft 11 at one-half engine speed, and the ports 17 are so located as to register with passages 6 at the proper time in the cycle of movement of the corresponding pistons 2, whereby in the usual way, to allow the drawing in of an explosive charge on the down stroke of the piston, and to close the port 6 on the compression, explosion and exhaust strokes.

interposed between each valve sleeve 13 and the adjacent ball bearing on shaft 11 is a cam 19, for operating an overhead exhaust valve 20, which controls an exhaust opening 21 in the head 3 directly above and opening out of each combustion chamber 7; From each opening 21 an unrestricte passage 22 is formed in the head 3, and herein shown as opening laterally for connection to a common exhaust manifold, not shown. The stem of valve projects through a suitable bearing boss 23 provided by the top wall of head 3, and is surrounded by the usual spring 2 1, bearing against a plate or washer 25 to retain the valve 20 in closed position. The top of the valve stem is subject to the operation of a rocker arm 26, journalcd at .37 on a post 28 which rises from the cylinder head The other end of said rocker arm has the usual pivot or ball link connection 29 with a member 30, adapted to slide in a cylindrical. guideway 31 projecting upwardly from the extension l. The member on its under side is bifurcated, and carries a roller 32, against which the corresponding cam 19 operates. The cams 19 on shaft 11 are so disposed with relation to the cycle of movements of pistons 2, as to opentheir associated exhaust valve 20 during the upward exhaust stroke of the piston, and to allow the springs 24: to hold said valves tightly closed during the intake compression and explosion strokes. In this way the exhaust puppet valves, operated directly from the rotating n'iember which controls the intake of gases, are

caused to cooperate with said member in effecting the operation of thecngine on the four-stroke cycle, in a manner common to engines of 'this'class.

The arrangement for the adjacent pair of cylinders is a duplication ofthe arrangement above described, and involves simply the coupling together with the longitudinal shafts 11 associated with adjacent pairs, said shaftsserving, "as will beseen, as cam shafts anclalso as the instrumentalities for controlling the intake of gases to the cylinders. By this arrangement an exhaust opening of ample size is provided, and there are no pockets in the combustion chamber 7 for the accumulation of dead gases. Furthermore, the rotary valve, being used only for the intake of gases is radially cooled by the Water jackets 5, 9 and 33 of the head, completely surrounding the same, and is thoroughly lubricated by the oil which is introduced for the lubrication of the sliding members 31.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an exhaust port in its head, and an independent lateral inlet port, both ports communicating with the combustion space, an inwardly opening puppet valve controlling said exhaust port, a rotating member controlling said inlet port and adapted to admit explosive charges to said combustion space in timed relation to the cycle of operations of said engine and means carried by said rotating member for operating said puppet valve.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having independent inlet and exhaust ports each communicating With the combustion space, a puppet valve controlling said exhaust port, a rotating member controlling said inlet port and adapted to admit explosive charges to said combustion space in timed relation to the cycle of operations of said engine, and a cam carried by said rotating member for opening said puppet exhaust valve in timed relation to the cycle of operations of said engine.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder provided with a lateral Water jacketed bore, having an intake port connecting said bore and the interior of the cylinder, a hollow rotating valve in said bore with its iinterior in communication With a supply of explosive mixture, said valve having a port for periodic registration with said intake port, to control the admission of explosive mixture to said cylinder, an exhaust port in the head of said cylinder, an inwardly opening puppet valve controlling said exhaust port to procure the exhaust of burned gases from said cylinder, said exhaust valve being operated by a cam on the shaft of said rotating valve.

4. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder provided with a lateral Water j acketed bore, with an intake port connecting said bore and the interior of the cylinder, a hollow rotating valve in said bore, With its interior in communication With a supply of explosive mixture, and having a port for periodic registration With said intake port, a shaft on Which said valve is mounted, bearings for said shaft beyond the ends of said valve, an independent exhaust passage leading from the interior of said cylinder, an inwardly opening puppet valve in the head of said cylinder for controlling the exhaust of burned gases to said passage, and a cam on said shaft for operating said puppet valve.

5. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an exhaust port in its head and an independent lateral intake port, both ports communicating with the combustion space, an overhead puppet valve controlling said exhaust port, and a rotary valve controlling said intake port, With means carried by said rotary valve for operating said puppet valve.

Dated this 15th day of March, 1918.

NATHANIEL LOMBARD.

Htnesses N ELLIE WHALEN, PENELOPE COMBERBAOH. 

